Arch corrector for the feet



y 1936- F. s. BOLTZ ET AL 2,041,693

ARCH GORRECTOR FOR THE FEET Filed Jan. 13, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet l 11 2 a f aw May 26, 1936. F. s. BOLTZ ET AL ARCH CORRECTOR FOR THE FEET Filed Jan. 15, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 CofMkM Patented May 26,, 1936 ARCH CORRECTOR FOR THE FEET Fred S. Boltz, Mansfield, and Guy W.,Estey,

Taunton, Mass.

Application January 13, 1934, Serial No. 706,552

6 Claims. (Cl. 128-425) V The invention relate'sto a new and useful improvement in arch correctors for feet. The object of the invention is to provide an apparatus for treating fallen arches so as to correct; or at least improve and strengthen the arch. According to the present invention this is effected by holding the foottso that the center part of the foot will'be in a relaxed condition. This will allow flexibility through the arches so that a.

force can be applied to the foot to exercisethe bones, ligaments, muscles, nerves and other body matters which make up the foot and our invention provides means for so treating the several arches of the foot. 1

The apparatus in its preferred form has toe and heel holders adjustable on a cover of a cabinet or box in which is mounteda roll or rollers which are adapted to extend through an opening in the cover to make contact with the arches of the foot, the rollers being rotatable on their axes and also adapted to be moved so as to travel lengthwise of the arch at the same time that they rotate in contact with the arch. Preferably means are provided for adjusting the heel and toe holders for different sizes of feet. Preferably the apparatus is adjustable to adaptthe rollers to arches of different depths and to vary the degree of pressure. Preferably two rollers, one for the right foot and one for the left foot, are embodied in one machine so that the arches of both feet may be operated upon at the same time, but a machine having only one roll comes within the scope of our invention. The machine may be actuated by hand or by motor or by other means. In the preferred form it is operated by motor. Other features of the invention will be more particularly set forth hereinafter.

Before explaining in detafl the present invention it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings, since the invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or carried out in various ways.

. Also it is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation, and it is not intended to limit the invention claimed herein beyond the requirements of the prior art.

In the drawings: I

Fig. 1 is. a top; plan view of an apparatus embodving the invention;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section substantially on line 2-- 2 of Fig. 1;

- 23 carried by a rotatable shaft 24.' Suitable Fig. 3 is a transverse section substantially on line 33 of Fig. 2;

Fig, 4 is a development of one of the rolls showing the projections or humps which engage the different arches;

Figs. 5, 6, 7 and 8 are diagrammatic views showing one ofthe rolls atdiiferent positions in the cycle of operation, Fig. 5 starting to form contact with the foot at the heel end or posterior arch, Fig.,6 showing part of the projections or humps 10 engaging the inner and outer side arches, Fig.

'7 showing the position when the projection is engaging the anterior arch at the front and Fig.

8 showing the position when the roll has passed out of contact with the arch in the forward 15 movement.

The rolls rotate in counter-clockwise direction during the time that they move bodily in a forward direction as soon as they make contact with the arch.

The'apparatus is mounted in a housing or frame of any suitable form. As shown in the drawings, the frame comprises two side walls I0, I11, a front wall II, a rear wall I2 and a base l3 and has a cover member I I which serves as 25 a support for the foot during the operation. Preferably. the front wall' I I extends somewhat higher than the rear wall l2 so that the top or cover member M will be inclined as shown in Fig. 2-. Said cover member is formed with an opening l5 and has attached thereto a plate 32 having smaller openings 32a. These openings are bridged over by the arch of both feet when they are in position for the operation as will be hereinafter described, whi1e the heel and forepart of the feet are supported by the top portion of the plate 32 at the opposite ends of the openings.

The cover l4 at or near its rear end is hinged on horizontal hinges; l6 so as to permit the cover to be tipped up on said hinges to enable the foot support to be adjusted to the desired angle.

Two rolls 20 and 2| are mounted for free rotation on rods 2 la rigidly secured to arms 22 and means are provided for rotating said shaft. It 45 roll is intended for operation on the arches of the right foot and the roll 2| is operative on the left foot. Each roll has on its periphery suitable cam shaped protuberances or elevations adapted to respectively engage the several portions of the arch during the rotation of the rolls and the travel of the rolls over the surface of the arch. The elevation (see Fig. 4) is to operate on the posterior arch, the elevations 21.and 28 are respectively operative upon the inner arch and the outer arch and the elevation 26 is for the anterior arch.

The rolls rotate on their axes only when one or more of the arch engaging portions 25, 26, 21 and 28 are in engagement with the foot. In order 'thatthe rolls may always be in the right position 'when'they start'contactwith the arch,

they are each provided with a counterweight 29,

i which always brings them back to their original position. This is clearly illustrated, as explained before in Figures 5, 6, 7 and .8. In Figure 5 the roll and its elevation 25 are shown as they start verse arch respectively. As the shaft 24 continues its rotation the roll is carried away from contact with the foot, which causes the counterweight to act and bring the roll back to its original position. This is clearly illustrated in Figure 8.

Suitable means are provided for holding the foot seated and properly positioned on the cover during the operation. Preferably a sheet of cloth 8 or other thin flexible material overlies the opening l5 and is clamped inplace between the top of the cover l4 and the plate 32 which is secured to the cover l4 by means of screws 320. This cloth or flexible sheet serves to protect the foot from direct contact with the rolls and has suflicient fullness to allow it to be flexed by the upward pressure of the rolls during the operation. At the center of the machine and between the foot supports the flexible sheet 8 is clamped to an upwardly arched portion 32b in the plate 32 by means of a smaller plate 1 and a series of bolts and nuts la.

Any suitable means for positioning the foot may be used. One form which we prefer is as follows: A heel plate 30 is shaped somewhat like the counterof a shoe to position the heel of the foot. Where the apparatus is constructed for use with both feet there are two of these plates 30. These heel plates are adjustable forward and back to accommodate feet of difierent sizes. To permit this adjustment the heel plates 30 are connected together by a bar 3! which is clamped to the plate 32 on top of the cover member M by an adjustable clamping bolt 33. The bolt 33 extends up from the cover 14 and through an elongatedslot 34 in the plate 32 and has a nut 35 which may be set up to clamp the bar 3! in its adjusted position. By partially unscrewing the nut the bar 3! may be unclamped to permit adjustment of the bar'3l on the plate 32 to the position desired and then the nut may be set up again to hold the heel plate in its adjusted position; The plate 32 has upwardly extending parallel ridges 36 that serve as guides for similar ridges 37 projecting from the bottom of the bar 3| and are adapted to guide said bar 3I- during the adjustment of the heel plate.

Toe caps 38'of flexible material are provided to receive and position the toes. These are adjustably mounted so as to allow for feet of different length. They are shown as attached to a plate 39 which is adapted to be clamped to the plate 32 by the clamp nut 40 which engages with the threaded end of a bolt 4|, said bolt extending from the cover l4 up through an elongated slot 42 in the plate 32. The plate 32 has upwardly extending parallel ridges 43 and the plate 39 has downwardly projecting ribs 44 which engage the said ridges 43 to guide the plate in the adjustment forward and back.

Each toe cap 38 is secured at its margin between a somewhat arcuate rim base 45 and a somewhat arcuate clamp 46 as by screws 41. The combined toe cap comprising the flexible covering members 38, the members 45 and 46 and the plate 39 are held together as a unit and adjustable forward and back according to the length of the foot.

As the height of the arches of feet of different people vary and also as it is sometimes desirable that the degree of pressure may be varied so as to give more or less pressure to the arches of the same foot, it is important that the contact of the rolls with the foot shall be adjustable. Means for doing this are shown as consisting of an adjusting screw 48 which passes through a tapped out hole in a bracket 49 projecting from the front end wall II. The head of the screw 48 engages a resilient member 48:: attached to-the underside of the hinged cover member I 4. By turning the screw 48 to the left or right on its axis the cover may be tipped up or lowered as desired and thereby vary the degree of contact of the rolls 2| and 22 on the arches of the feet. A counterweight or weights 50 are suspended from the cover l4 to help the foot to have pressure on the roll.

In the preferred form the rolls are provided with cam-shaped elevations 25, 26, 21 and 28 as mg described. In some cases fairly satisfacto results may be obtained by making the rolls with an even surface instead of having them provided with humps. We regard such a construction as coming within the scope of our invention.

While we prefer to have the rolls made in the form of a truncated cone as shown in the drawings they may be made cylindrical and we regard such construction as coming within the scope of our invention.

We claim:

1. An apparatus consisting of a foot holder, a roller, means for causing the roller to travel on the underneath central portion of the foot, the surface of the roller being so constructed that it will apply an intensified force to certain parts of the underneath central portion of the foot, when the roller is forced along the underneath portion of the foot, the roller being counterweighted so that its surface will always contact the foot at a specified point on the roller.

2. In an apparatus for treating a foot, a roller, means for supporting andpositioning the foot in a predetermined relation with respect to said roller, and means for causing the roller to roll longitudinally along the intermediate portion of the bottom of the foot to exert pressure thereon and return to its initial position, said positioning means being arranged to prevent displacement of the toes of the foot in the direction of said pressure while permitting the, intermediate portion of the foot to flex when pressure is exerted by said roller.

3. In an apparatus for treating a foot, a roller, a support for the foot, means carried by said support for positioning the foot in a predetermined relation with respect to said roller, means for causing the roller to roll longitudinally along the intermediate portion of the bottom of the foot to exert pressure thereon and return to its initial position, said positioning means being arranged to prevent displacement of the toes of the foot in the direction of said pressure while permitting the foot to flex when pressure is exerted by said roller, and means for adjusting the relative positions of said support and roller in the direction of said pressure and in the opposite direction.

4. In an apparatus for treating a foot, a roller, an inclined support for the foot, adjustable means carried by said support for positioning the foot in a predetermined relation with respect to said roller, and means for causing the roller to roll longitudinally along the intermediate portion of the bottom of the foot to exert pressure thereon and return to its initial position, said positioning means being arranged to prevent displacement of the toes of the foot in the direction of said pressure while permitting the intermediate portion 01' the foot to flex when pressure is exerted by said roller.

5. In an apparatus for treating a foot, 9. truncated cone shaped roller adapted to be mounted to rotate about the axis of said cone, said roller having a narrow elongated elevation upon its conical surface, said elevation extending substantially in the direction of rotation of said roller about said axis, a support for the foot, means carried by said support for positioning the foot in a predetermined relation with respect to said roller, means for causing the roller to roll longitudinally along the intermediate portion of the bottom oi! the foot to exert pressure thereon and return to its initial position, said positioning means being arranged to prevent displacement of the toes of the foot in the direction of said pressure while permitting the foot to flex when pressure is exerted by said roller, and means for adjusting the relative positions of said support and roller in the direction of said pressure and in the opposite direction.

6. In an apparatus for treating a foot, a truncated cone shaped roller adapted to be mounted to rotate about the axis of said cone, said roller having a narrow elongated elevation upon its conical surface, said elevation extending substantially in the direction of rotation of said roller about said axis.

FRED S. BOLTZ. GUY W. ESTEY. 

